flowasis1 Reviews

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Stan Lee Would Ne Proud!

[10/10 · 26 April 2019]

Ok so I will be short and succinct. With 21 films worth of storyline to tie up in 3 hours, it was almost impossible to please everyone. The fact that the story was so cohesive, and had such a satisfying resolution to so many charachter arcs is a minor miracle in and of itself. But what truly impressed me, and honestly, what separates the Avengers from every other comic book franchise, is the way the actors absolutely WEARS their charchters and make you love them. The decision to concentrate on the original core group, although not popular with everyone, was a sound one in my opinion. This was their movie. Chris Hemsworths Thor has especially come such a long way. But anyway. Loved the movie. Laughed. Cried. Left feeling satisfied. And all the loose ends were neatly tied up

Black-ish (2014–2022)

Intelligent fare for more than just African Americans

[10/10 · 22 October 2014]

First of all those who are offended by the title of the show should just pipe down and realize that the creators where just being satirical. As a black man I find the over abundance of buffoonish television shows that are typically geared towards African Americans to be passe and very stereotypical. Tyler perry based shows like Meet the Browns and House of Pain, though well meaning in their portrayal of the Black experience, often suffer from poor writing ( a habitual issue with Tyler Perry productions) and out of date tropes and production values. These shows are typically successful due to Mr. Perry's built in audience and,quiet simply ,a scarcity of programming geared towards black viewers. What makes Blackish stand out is its strong writing, perfectly cast lead actors( Anthony Anderson and Lawrence Fishburn's chemistry is particularly impressive), and irreverent look at the issues facing an upper class black family. Obviously some may not "get" some of the humor if you are unfamiliar with the nuances of black culture, just as an African American might not get every funny referrence from "My Big Fat Greek Wedding". The vast majority of the show, however, deals with issues that anyone can relate too. I'm 3 episodes in, and like most good shows, Blackish gets funnier the longer the writers have time to flesh out the characters and progress with the story lines. One more note. In no way is this show racist like some misguided and ignorant reviewers ( with some admitting to having only watched 15 minutes of the pilot...talk about ADHD) suggest. To those individuals I would say give it an actual chance. Check out the first 3 episodes on ONdemand before you pass a hasty judgement on such a small sample size

Rapture-Palooza (2013)

Craig Robinson/ Seth Rogen fans rejoice!!!!!

[7/10 · 12 June 2013]

OK let me start off with a disclaimer. Being a raunchy comedy fan from Chicago, i am an unabashed Craig Robinson supporter. Dude paid his dues and routinely stole the show in bit parts in various Judd Apatow movies of the last decade. With that in mind, its nice to see Hollywood start to realize the mans considerable talents and start giving him some star vehicles that put them to use. never mind the god awful "Peeples", which was a failure more due to a horrific, unfunny script than Robinsons performance, Rapturepalooza is the movie that allows Robinsons irreverent, thoroughly raunchy comedic style to truly shine. I had tears in my eyes laughing out loud watching this movie. Granted the plot and premise serve as nothing more than a means to allow Robinson to go ape-sh#t with the material, its still not that bad. Anyone vaguely familiar with Revelations will recognize the subversive take on it and the pot addicted wraiths were pretty funny. That being said the main reason to see this movie is Craig Robinson. Hell change your view of what we were taught about the Antichrist..but in a rolling on the floor, tears in your eyes way... See this if your a fan of Pineapple express, Knocked Up and 40 year old virgin..

Give 'em Hell Malone (2009)

1940's Detective movie Noir meets Sin City-esquire action

[8/10 · 23 December 2009]

I saw this movie recently on bluray and I must say I was mightily impressed. Though I'm not usually a huge Thomas Jane fan,I must confess to be an aficionado of all things Ving Rhames. Frequently type cast as the heavy, it's expertly acted roles such as Ving's Boulder, than makes him the undisputed go to guy when you need a very scary henchmen/goon to strike fear in the hearts of audiences. Ving simply kicks ass in this noir thriller that's a tongue and cheek homage to the 40's style detective movies. Jane does a good job channeling his inner Humphrey Bogart and the action sequence are some of the best I've seen in a straight to bluray film in some time. I won't get into the particulars of the story, but I will say that the film is well acted for the most part(Jane obviously is having a good time in the role) and that there are a few plot surprises. Overall, you could do a lot worse than this with your Saturday evening.

Avatar (2009)

A Singular Imaginative Instant Classic

[10/10 · 19 December 2009]

Quick..When was the last time you saw a movie that resonated with you and captured your imagination so viscerally that you could barely wait to see it again? Not sure about you guys, but in this day of cookie cutter, by the numbers, based on a graphic novel/comic book crap, I can honestly say I can't remember a movie that left such an indelible imprint . To say that the film, on a wholly visual level, is breathtaking would be woefully inadequate. I will just add my sentiments to the plethora of other reviewers and say that Avatar is like nothing, and I do mean NOTHING, I have ever seen. From the fully realized, lush and incredibly detailed environment of Pandorum to the incredibly lifelike cgi for the Na'vi humonoid race, all of Cameron's considerable talents as an effects wizrad of the first order are on full display here.

Not since Smeagle in the Lord of the a Rings trilogy have we seen such startlingly lifelike and expressive cgi characters as the Na'vi. And Make no mistake, the Na'vi ARE the undisputed stars of this movie! Lithe,graceful,agile and capable of conveying intricate facial expressions and subtle emotions like nothing else ever animated, you'll find yourself almost forgetting about the actual human characters in the movie ( i agree with the critics who complain that they could've been fleshed out more) and savoring every single interaction between the aliens and Jake Sullys avatar. At nearly 3 hours long, Avatar is one of those rare movie going experiences that envelops you in such a way that you lose track of the time. Definitely not a movie that I'd take impatient childen under 8 to go see, but older kids will absolutely marvel at the cinematic acheivemant on display. And thus concludes my MANGUSHING for the year. Glad I saved it for such a film. Now go see it!